Tata Projects consortium to use automated track laying machines

The Mitsui & Co-Tata Projects-IRCON consortium that was recently awarded a mega Rs.4,328-crore contract relating to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor plans to use automated track laying machines, a release by consortium member Tata Projects said. The Express Freight Consortium, led by Japan-based Mitsui & Co Ltd, with IRCON International Ltd and Tata Projects as its members, plans to complete the work in the stipulated time of 48 months.

The machine lays the sleepers; special rails imported from Japan, and clamps all together in an automated manner simultaneously. The rails used are special “Head Hardened (HH) 250m long rails that are welded together using flash butt welding machines, creating a smooth track, the release said. The axle load of the track would be 32.5 tonnes, at par with tracks in Japan, compared to the current Indian rail tracks of 25 tonne-axle load. The project, is for civil and track works and will be executed in two packages—Contract Package No.12 between Vaitarana and Sachin (186 km) and Contract Package No.13 between Sachin and Vadodara (134 km)—aggregating 320 km.

A mega project by the ministry of railways The Dedicated Freight Corridor is an ambitious programme of the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, involving construction of two corridors: The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from Ludhiana to Dankuni, and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor from Dadri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai. It is being implemented by Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. The DFC project will eventually link the four hubs of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata at the corners of India’s Golden Quadrilateral. The Japanese government has provided yen loans for the Western DFC project under the Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP).

To execute the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, Tata Projects will leverage its project execution expertise to carry out civil engineering work and lay tracks jointly with IRCON, while Mitsui will provide its established technical expertise, the Tata Projects release said.